The Church, The Place of Brotherly Love and Christian Family

During the months of September and October, the Polish National Catholic Church celebrates the unique solemnities of Brotherly Love and Christian Family.  Very early in the history of the P.N.C.C. the Church wished to emphasize these important aspects of Church life and so Bishop Hodur proposed to the General Synods the Christian concepts which lie behind these solemnities and the Synods adopted them for celebration throughout the entire P.N.C.C.

Of course these aspects of our faith are certainly nothing new.  Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, confirmed the two commandments of love in His answer to the Pharisee who asked about the greatest commandment, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the greatest and first
commandment.  And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39).  This second part reminds us that Brotherly Love is affirmed as a vital part of everything we are as Christians.  Jesus also spoke to us regarding the family relationships that are now a part of the Christian faith.  When it was mentioned to Jesus that His mother and brothers were outside waiting for Him, He said, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?”  And pointing to His disciples, He said, “Here are My mother and my brothers.  For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:48b-50)  Here we see that in becoming followers of Jesus Christ, we have, in fact, entered a new family, with new family responsibilities.  Now we, as followers of Jesus, are members of the Christian Family.

These special solemnities are a little different from most of the other solemnities of the Church.  Usually solemnities are the most important commemorations that the Church recognizes during the liturgical year.  When we think of them we usually think of the events in the life of our Lord like the Resurrection on Easter Sunday, or the birth of Jesus on Christmas.  Many other events in the life of Jesus are also celebrated in the Church as solemnities.  Two other solemnities celebrated within the Church year are also important aspects of our faith that are celebrated in a solemn way, the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity and the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi).  Now the Polish National Catholic Church has recognized that the Church itself, the Body of Christ in the world today, must also be celebrated.  Each year we recognize the birth of the Church in the Solemnity of Pentecost.  On this day we commemorate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the gathered apostles and their beginning to go out and preach the Word of God. But what about the continued action of the Church?  It is this aspect of the Church that we celebrate in the Solemnity of Brotherly Love and the Solemnity of the Christian Family.  We honor in the Solemnities of Brotherly Love and Christian Family, the ongoing work of the Church lived in the lives of each of its members.

One thing that we face within the Church today is that we tend to think of the Church as only a small part of our lives, rather than a defining aspect of our lives.  As faithful Polish National Catholics we certainly attend Church on most Sundays of the year and maybe even attend on a few other solemnities as well. But do we consider that we are Church members on each and every day of the year?  Does our Christian faith, impact our lives only on 52 days a year or all 365 of them?  The Solemnities of Brotherly Love and Christian Family remind us that we are called to exhibit Brotherly Love in each and every encounter we have, not just on Sunday mornings when we are in Church.  Also, Brotherly Love and Christian Family are not just concepts that we consider within the confines of the Church.  They are not only good ideas but rather challenges to live out these aspects of our Christian Faith at every moment.

During the XXIV General Synod which will be held in Erie, Pennsylvania beginning in just a few short days on September 29, 2014 we will all have the chance and opportunity to consider new and exciting ways in which we can work together as Church.  We will look back to the former days of the Church, but more importantly we will consider the challenges that face us now in the year 2014 and into the future.  In this important work of the general Synod we must keep in mind the challenges of Brotherly Love and Christian Family, for this is what we desire to express in building the kingdom of God within the Polish National Catholic Church.  Let us all strive to show forth our Brotherly Love, not only in thought, but in every act of the Church individually and collectively.  And let us build together one great Christian Family, where all are welcome as brothers and sisters of our one Lord, Jesus Christ.